
My research is grounded in cognitive psychology, with strong links to social psychology, clinical psychology, and neuroscience. My lab specialises in relationships between motivation, emotion, and attentional control. Topics include mechanisms of emotion-driven attentional bias, how attention and emotion shape our awareness of the world, impacts of physical and emotional stress on cognition, and emotion regulation. I also specialise in understanding the implications of these processes for real-world safety, including on the roadways.
I received my B.A. in Psychology at Brandeis University in 1994, followed by my PhD in Psychology at Harvard University in 2002. This was followed by postdoctoral fellowships at Yale and Vanderbilt Universities. Prior to taking up my position at UNSW Sydney, I was Assistant Professor and then tenured Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Delaware (USA), where I continue to maintain Affiliated Associate Professor status.
I am passionate about fostering understanding of psychology outside the university. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to arrange an educational workshop or presentation to your school or organisation.